Tell Me, What is Heart Saying?

 “Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” — Mary Lou Cook

Something has happened to me that's hard to explain...I have had an awakening of sorts. Oh, I know that sounds kind of corny...but I have. It's true. 


I am learning to listen {truly listen} to what my heart is telling me. 

Is is easy? Oh, my goodness no. I mean the rational side of me says things like "who are you kidding? you can't do that?" It laughs at me, with ferociousness.

“You must not for one instant give up the effort to build new lives for yourselves. Creativity means to push open the heavy, groaning doorway to life. This is not an easy struggle. Indeed, it may be the most difficult task in the world, for opening”

Last Monday night our Art Professor friend was giving a lecture on creativity at our local State University. I ended up going and feel richer for doing so.

Chris focused on what creativity really is. 

It's all about emotion...our emotions.

“Don't think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It's self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can't try to do things. You simply must do things.”  Ray Bradbury

Chris shared that for him, art is a way to get through things.There was a time in his life when he thought he was losing everything. One day he just picked up a pencil and started drawing...slowly. In time what appeared was a Series he now calls "The Grip". This collection of pencil drawings was on display for us to see that evening and throughout the next month. Walking through the gallery, seeing his art...you could feel every, raw emotion he was going through. 

"Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see."  -William Newton Clark

The goal of art, I realized that night, is to put my soul on paper.

As Bejamin Disreali tells us..."Learn to unlearn."

Chris went on to share dozens of logos he had created including the Franklin Covey look of the late 80's and 90's. 

He shared his fire with us...his enthusiasm for paint and pencils and creating. 

My favorite part was his description of how he loved the feel of paint, the softness of it, how it felt squishing between his fingers.

As I was leaving to go home I noticed an open door to a classroom. I could see easels, in a semi-circle, each one holding a large canvas. I peeked in, eager to take a closer look. Walking in, quietly I saw tubes of paint lying about, used brushes and half-filled jars of paint stained water. I breathed deeply, closed my eyes and enjoyed the smell of oil-based paint. 

"If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint", then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced."  -Vincent Van Gogh

I am listening. I hear what my heart is saying. 

I am ready to try, to be open.

I am ready for a new adventure to begin.

What is your heart telling you these days?